


under the orange sun

by heishin



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Gen, M/M, convenience store date :D
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:27:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25179157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heishin/pseuds/heishin
Summary: “Here, Akaashi, try mine!” Bokuto exclaims, eyes lighting up in excitement at the chance of sharing his favorite pao with Keiji. He maneuvers the bun out of its paper bag and blows on it lightly. “Careful, it’s still hot.”Keiji reaches out to grab the food out of Bokuto’s hand, but he blinks and the next thing he knows, Bokuto is holding up his pao to Keiji’s mouth. He blinks, again. The pao is still there, in Bokuto’s grip, for Keiji to eat. Bokuto is still staring at him expectantly.Keiji’s cheeks grow hot, but he bites, and chews, and the chicken filling is definitely nicer than the salted egg one, but it pales in comparison to the way Bokuto grins at him.He finds his voice, somehow. “It’s nice, Bokuto-san.”(in which Bokuto takes Akaashi on a detour during the commute home.)
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji & Bokuto Koutarou, Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Comments: 10
Kudos: 78





	under the orange sun

**Author's Note:**

> title from eight (prod. & feat. suga of bts) by iu

Early March brings with it a sense of accomplishment, of a nearly concluded school year and a long vacation waiting at the end of it. But it also brings dread, of exams and report cards and graduation. Keiji, despite being a second year, fears graduation the most.

The third years retired after Nationals, but they’re still somewhat around. Some of them stop by during practice, when they’re not studying. They still go on the train with him on the days without practice, and if their extra classes run late, Keiji waits for them so they can go to the station together. It’s a new routine, albeit a temporary one, and he’s grateful for that. Still, it doesn’t change the fact that some of his closest friends are leaving soon.

Bokuto, it seems, is the only one unchanged. While most of his fellow third years use recess as a time to study or catch up on lost sleep, Bokuto still treks the one-floor distance between his and Keiji’s classrooms, cafeteria food in hand as he yells, in the doorway of Keiji’s class, loud enough for everyone to hear: “Akaashi! Whad’ya bring for lunch today?”

Bokuto doesn’t come to practice, but he’s always there after, when Keiji is overseeing the first years as they tidy up the gym. “Akaashi,” he’ll whisper, “do you have time to help me practice spikes today?”

I _do, Bokuto-san, but do you?_ he’ll ask in his head, but then Bokuto is looking at him with pleading eyes and what is Keiji supposed to do, other than send everyone home and tell them he’ll continue cleaning on his own? Bokuto always sings praises to him once they’re done and it more than makes up for the extra exercise, and Keiji is used to it anyway. If anything, it’s a routine he doesn’t mind going through forever. That is, until Bokuto leaves — either for college or for a professional team.

It’s this thought that accompanies him as he sits on the train home with Bokuto and the other third years. It’s one of the last few days of school before graduation. Keiji’s already finished his exams — this time last year, the then-second years brought him with them to their hangout spot, and they teased each other about exams and girls and boys and the future, and the future felt so much further then, when all they had in mind was volleyball and the camaraderie it brought with it. Now, he sits in silence and watches as one by one, the third years get off at their stops until there’s only him and Bokuto.

They’re always the last ones on the train. Keiji’s stop is a couple before Bokuto’s, and somewhere in the back of his mind Keiji thinks about how different it’s going to be when Bokuto graduates, when Keiji doesn’t have to wave goodbye to Bokuto as he steps off the train.

Bokuto’s loud exhale brings him out of his musing. “Man, I’m hungry.”

_You just ate, Bokuto-san_ , he thinks, but his hands are already moving to his bag, where he keeps an extra packet of salty crackers. “Would you like some crackers?”

To his surprise, Bokuto shakes his head. “Do you have time, Akaashi? You don’t have homework, right? Can we hang out for a bit?”

No, Keiji doesn’t have homework, but _Bokuto_ surely has things to study, and Keiji is about to say so when the third year speaks again. “Let’s get off at the next stop. There’s a FamilyMart there, what do you say?”

_You should just eat at home, Bokuto-san,_ he thinks again. But the realization — that this could be one of the last times they spend with both of them still in high school — comes, and so Keiji nods, and Bokuto cheers.

They get to their feet when the next stop is announced, and as soon as the door opens, they step out. Bokuto grabs Keiji’s arm and leads him to the exit of the station. Keiji has his uniform jacket on, but he feels the warmth of Bokuto’s hand all the same, so he listens to Bokuto’s excited rambling to distract himself from the contact. Bokuto releases him when they near the turnstiles. They separate for a while as they both swipe their cards on the scanner.

Then Bokuto’s hand finds his arm again, and they cross the street to the convenience store. Bokuto practically skips in his steps as they enter the store.

“Great, it’s empty!” Bokuto cheers. “Whad’ya want, Akaashi?”

“Uh,” Keiji mutters, because Bokuto’s hand is still on his arm.

“You love onigiri, right? Should we get onigiri?”

Again, Keiji caves, and lets himself be steered toward the snacks aisle. He _does_ love onigiri. They should definitely get onigiri.

“And they have this amazing barbecue chicken pao that I think you would love, but — oh, they also have a salted egg one, maybe we should buy it too? Akaashi, you didn’t eat much today, we should definitely get lots of stuff here.”

He … was planning to eat a hearty meal at home, but there Bokuto goes again with the pleading eyes so Keiji says, “Okay.”

“Okay! I’ll grab a basket.” And then he’s off, and the hand on Keiji’s arm is gone and Keiji is left staring at the rows of onigiri in front of him.

_Get yourself together,_ he screams in his head, _he’s just like that. That’s just how he is. And he’s graduating in a few days anyway._ But there’s something about Bokuto that always makes Keiji feel special, despite being in the company of a star. Maybe _because_ he is in the company of a star.

“Akaashi!”

Bokuto comes back with a shopping basket and a wide grin on his face. “I ordered the buns already. Let’s get the onigiri, and can we also get iced latte?”

_Why does he keep asking me for permission_ , Keiji wonders, _and why do I always say yes?_ “Sure.”

Bokuto’s egging him to _get as many as you want, Akaashi!_ and Keiji knows he’s going to pay for both of their purchases, so he settles for a tuna onigiri, ignoring Bokuto’s repeated offer to get as many as he wants. They get to the register after Keiji makes it clear that the onigiri is the only thing he wants. Two steaming buns are waiting for them on the counter — Bokuto’s grin immediately widens, and after seeing how soft the buns look, Keiji is inclined to agree.

Bokuto orders two iced lattes, and as Keiji expected, he pays for both of them. Keiji lets it slide this time, but makes a mental note to return the favor sometime soon. The cashier finishes ringing them up and Bokuto is leading Keiji around again, searching for a spot to sit.

There are two chairs facing each other by the window, and Bokuto pulls one out for him. Keiji stares, surprised at the gesture, but Bokuto is already rounding the table to get to his own seat, so he files it away to think about later.

Bokuto grins. “Try your pao, ‘Kaashi!”

So he does. Keiji sets his onigiri aside and reaches for the salted egg pao Bokuto got him. The bread is soft, as he expected, and the filling is nice. He gives Bokuto a small smile as he finishes chewing.

”It’s good,” he says.

“Right?” Bokuto gushes, eating his own bun. “I bet mine is nicer, though.”

Now this is another routine Keiji doesn’t mind. “Is that so, Bokuto-san?”

“Yep!” He leans across the table toward Keiji, taking him by surprise.

“Here, Akaashi, try mine!” Bokuto exclaims, eyes lighting up in excitement at the chance of sharing his favorite pao with Keiji. He maneuvers his pao out of its paper bag and blows on it lightly. “Careful, it’s still hot.”

Keiji reaches out to grab the food out of Bokuto’s hand, but he blinks and the next thing he knows, Bokuto is holding up his pao to Keiji’s mouth. He blinks, again. The pao is still there, in Bokuto’s grip, for Keiji to eat. Bokuto is still staring at him expectantly.

Keiji’s cheeks grow hot, but he bites, and chews, and the chicken filling is definitely nicer than the salted egg one, but it pales in comparison to the way Bokuto grins at him.

He finds his voice, somehow. “It’s nice, Bokuto-san.”

“It is!” Bokuto agrees with another excited grin. He doesn’t ask to try Keiji’s. Keiji wonders if he should make an offer, but then the moment is gone and Bokuto is back to talking forty miles an hour, and Keiji is content to just watch him talk.

Then he falls quiet, and Keiji is roused out of his own thoughts. He looks up and Bokuto is staring at him, a pensive look on his face. His hand toys with the paper bag.

“Hey, Keiji.” It’s so soft, so sudden, so surprising that Keiji almost doesn’t recognize his first name out of Bokuto’s mouth.

His heart is pounding, but he manages to ask, “Yes, Bokuto-san?”

“I’m not going anywhere, you know.”

Keiji blinks. “Pardon?”

“I mean, technically, I am.” Bokuto rubs the back of his neck and laughs. It sounds nervous. “Either for college or for a team … I mean, no one’s made an offer yet, but, you know.”

“Sure.”

“But, you know,” he repeats. “I know you’ve been sad about me and the other third years graduating.”

Keiji frowns. “You noticed?”

“Of course I did! I know you, Akaashi.”

_He knows me._ “Oh. I’m not … sad.”

“You’re not?” Bokuto pouts. “But you’ve been so down lately.”

“It’s just ….” He shrugs. “It’s going to be different, I guess. But it’s not always a bad thing. It’s ....”

Keiji loses his train of thoughts, and shuts his mouth. How does he explain the uneasiness that’s been nagging him, every time he thinks about Bokuto graduating, when he can’t even understand it himself?

“Oh, of course, I get it, you don’t have to explain it to me,” Bokuto assures him. “But, Akaashi?”

“Yes?”

“I’ll always be here for you!” Bokuto promises. He smiles softly and Keiji’s heart is doing a dozen different things at the same time. “I’ll always be your — wait, hm. What _am_ I?”

_Well, that’s a great question, isn’t it._

Bokuto snaps his fingers, and it startles Keiji. “I know, I know. Hear me out. I’ll always be your Bokuto.”

Keiji gapes at him. Bokuto is still smiling. It’s different from the excited grin earlier or the huge smile he used to wear on the court, and Keiji is surprised to find he prefers this one.

_My Bokuto_ , Keiji repeats in his mind. Maybe it’s as simple as that. _I can get used to that._

He replies with his own smile. “Thank you, Bokuto-san.”

**Author's Note:**

> FAMILYMART’S ONIGIRI <3333
> 
> this entire fic is just [AKAASHI IS UNABLE TO SAY NO TO BOKUTO] and honestly.. same. thank you so much for reading this, hope you enjoyed it! kudos and comments are really appreciated :D


End file.
